Drake Hotel has partnered with the Jazz Institute in presenting NextGenJazz 2014, a special event connecting new audiences to emerging artists and offering a unqiue venue for Chicago’s talented young performers. Please join us in welcoming Quentin Coaxum, a talented trumpeter with a unique voice and a passion for jazz music; his performances blend the essence of many genres including soul, alternative, hip hop, R & B, and jazz.

NextGenJazz will be in the Palm Court on Thursday, September 4th from 7pm-11pm. To make a reservation, please call 312.932.4619.

The kick off to Chicago Jazz Festival starts with the Annual Jazz Club Tour at The Drake Hotel! The Jazz Club Tour allows you to discover Chicago jazz scene from the South Loop up to The Drake Hotel, exploring venerable jazz clubs, small joints, and community centers throughout Chicago with trolley transportation between clubs. The Jazz Club Tour, sponsored by The Drake Hotel, takes place on Wednesday August 27, from 6PM to midnight.

The NextGenJazz partnership continues through June with Laurenzi, Ernst, and Green. Since the group’s inception in early 2012 Laurenzi, Ernst, and Green have established themselves as an important new facet of Chicago’s creative music scene. Featuring tenor saxophonist Dustin Laurezi, bassist and vocalist Katie Ernst, and drummer Andrew Green, the group’s aesthetic blends jazz, folk, and improvised music, yielding an honest and refreshing take on the saxophone, bass, and drums trio.

Next Generation Jazz (NextGenJazz) is a partnership with the Jazz Institute providing a venue for Chicago’s talented young performers. Catch NextGenJazz the first three Thursdays of the month in the Palm Court form 7PM—11PM. These events are free and open to the public but reservations are highly recommended. Please call 312.932.4619 or email Lalla.ElAlaoui@hilton.com for more information.

The month of May for NextGenJazz’s Palm Court series will feature Gustavo Cortiñas Fouilloux: jazz drummer, composer, and educator. Born and raised in Mexico City, Gustavo began drumming at ten years old. Fouilloux, who recently completed a Master of Music in Jazz Studies at Northwestern University, began his career in New Orleans. There he studied with some of the city’s finest musicians and jazz icons: Wayne Maureau, Johnny Vidacovich, John Mahoney, and Roy McGrath.

Fouilloux will grace The Drake’s Palm Court with his Next Generation Jazz musical panache, performing 7 PM – 11 PM, the first three Thursdays of May. While reservations are not required they are encouraged: email, call 312.932.4619, or visit thedrakehotel.com for details.

During the worst financial crisis in American history, The Great Depression, jazz provided a stupendous musical distraction across the nation. For Chicago, The Drake has always been a haven for jazz: they’ve evolved alongside one another since 1920. Once again, Next GenJazz and the historic Drake Hotel will collaborate for another sensational season of Palm Court Jazz.

This month, the Jazz Institute of Chicago and The Drake will feature pianist Kevin Kozal. Kozal is a composer and educator living in Chicago who has studied with world renowned musicians and composers including Frank Stemper and Kathleen Ginther, Wayne Kratz, George Clinton, The Jazz Mandolin Project and even Snoop Dogg.

Artists will perform the first three Thursdays of every month through October, 7 PM—11 PM, sans August. For a complete schedule and artist highlights visit jazzinchicago.org or The Drake's entertainment page.

Beginning April 3rd, 2014, NextGenJazz will start a third season of new music with emerging Chicago artists at The Drake. From 7 PM – 11 PM on the first three Thursdays from April through October (sans August) this free series provides the perfect opportunity to explore some of Chicago’s best young musicians. The series kicks off with Kevin Kozol through April in Palm Court.

Created in 2012 to provide a place for young musicians to perform this partnership between the Jazz Institute and The Drake Hotel provides the perfect opportunity to connect new audiences with the new faces of local jazz.

The Drake welcomes its newest addition, Executive Chef Franco Diaz. Born and raised in Bensenville, Ill. Diaz is excited to bring his worldly talent back to where his lifelong passion for cooking began –Chicago.

Diaz’s passion for food and the culinary arts was ignited at a young age. This passion stayed with him when he began his culinary studies at Kendall College, earning his degree in Culinary Management. Throughout the years, he was able to hone his skills and depth of knowledge. He most recently was involved in the launching of two St. Regis luxury properties in Princeville, Hawaii and Bal Harbour, Fla. Under his guidance, the St. Regis Resort Bal Harbour was named a AAA five diamond hotel three months after opening. Before his time with St. Regis, Diaz was the banquet chef at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. It was there where he was selected to explore and perfect his craft participating in an exchange chef program at the Michelin rated Victoria Young Frau Hotel in Switzerland.

Moving back to the state where his culinary roots were planted, Diaz is focused on bringing in the best quality of ingredients from around world to incorporate in the development of new menus. “To be welcomed into such a well-known establishment within the industry and community is an honor,” Diaz stated. With his seasoned talent and extensive experience in the culinary world, Chef Diaz is committed to delivering great food and excellent service for guests.

The Drake Hotel and Palm Court are excited to Partner with the Jazz Institute of Chicago and Chicago Jazz Magazine to bring you NextGenJazz- The Series:

Drake Hotel partners with Jazz Institute of Chicago to showcase young talent on Chicago jazz scene Beginning March 1, 2012, the Drake Hotel , 140 E. Walton, will host a dynamic young lineup of Chicago jazz talent on the first three Thursdays of each month through May. Presented in partnership with the Jazz Institute of Chicago and Chicago Jazz Magazine, the NextGenJazz series provides jazz trios with a three-week engagement at the Drake Hotel’s Palm Court. There is no cover charge. The Jazz Institute of Chicago has a longstanding history of programming and presenting world-class jazz concerts at no cost including the Chicago Jazz Festival, JazzCity, and Made In Chicago: World Class Jazz concert series. The NextGenJazz series will continue this tradition while appealing to new and younger audiences. “The Jazz Institute is pleased to partner with the Drake Hotel in bringing attention to the new jazz voices in town,” says Lauren Deutsch, executive director of the Jazz Institute of Chicago. “The artists featured in NextGenJazz are on the cutting edge of jazz in Chicago, and we are excited about introducing them to new audiences at one of the city’s iconic hotels.”
This is a Free event. Contact Email info@jazzinchicago.org Phone (312) 932-4327 Website http://www.thedrakehotel.com Venue The Drake Hotel 140 E. Walton Place Chicago, IL